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Berlin (dpa) - Employers and trade unions are calling for fundamental reforms in collective bargaining law.
"It is clear that we urgently need reforms in collective bargaining law, because collective bargaining partners need additional scope for flexibility and modernization," said employer president Rainer Dulger of the dpa.
The demands of the trade unions, however, aim in a completely different direction - they want to strengthen collective bargaining coverage and protect employees who want to set up a works council.
Dulger said: "I am a big fan of collective bargaining - but unfortunately, many area-wide collective agreements have lost their attractiveness."
Reforms in collective bargaining law are urgently needed.
"Who is still bound by collective bargaining today when you have to be bound by far too rigid, expensive collective bargaining systems?"
Collective bargaining partners needed additional scope for flexibility and modernization.
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Dulger spoke out in favor of more opening clauses in collective agreements.
"For example, companies that are deterred by the complexity of an entire collective bargaining system could only adopt the pay framework without having to take on extensive regulations on working hours at the same time," said Dulger.
This should not be regulated by the state, but the parties to the collective bargaining agreement should fundamentally modernize the collective agreements.
IG Metall boss Jörg Hofmann rejected Dulger's request by return of post - but showed room for negotiation.
"The complexity of collective agreements is the consequence of the desire for more flexibility in collective agreements, which employers in particular repeatedly demand," he told the dpa.
The employers have in mind subsequent cherry picking at the company level.
“There won't be.
All collective agreements are signed by both sides. "
IG Metall is open to greater company proximity in the tariff system.
Company-specific “future collective agreements” could be about investments and promises of products and processes - and based on this, about personnel development and adjustments to collective bargaining regulations.
The chairmen of DGB and Verdi, Reiner Hoffmann and Frank Werneke, see politicians challenged: Strengthening the collective bargaining agreement is part of the coalition agreement.
"At least it must finally be determined that federal public contracts may only be awarded to companies bound by collective bargaining," said Werneke of the dpa.
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Hoffmann emphasized: "In 15 out of 16 federal states we already have regulations for public procurement, not at the federal level."
Public procurement has a volume of around 45 billion euros per year.
Taxpayers are entitled to demand that public procurement companies behave in a socially responsible manner and pay decent wages.
"If we don't make tariff compliance the rule, we'll accept state-subsidized wage dumping."
Hoffmann also called for simplified general binding.
“To do this, we need minimally invasive changes in the law on strengthening collective bargaining.
This is not magic, ”he told the dpa.
"We also need special protection against dismissal for people from the day they take the initiative to set up a works council."
He welcomed the fact that a bill tabled in December for a works council strengthening act took up this.
The left-wing trade union expert Pascal Meiser raised allegations against Dulger: "The demand of the top employer representative for more and more flexibility in the collective bargaining system is nothing more than organized collective escape on installments."
© dpa-infocom, dpa: 210107-99-934301 / 2